Generally, a communications platform that transforms audio into an integrated streaming audio webcast is known in the art. End-users are able to participate in the audio webcasts from anywhere on the Internet using just a standard web browser, with the audio being streamed to the user. Streaming media is a type of Internet content that can be played while still in the process of being downloaded. A user's computer can play the first packet of an audio stream, decompress the second, while receiving the third. As such, an end-user can listen to a webcast without waiting until the end of content transmission. Streaming media quality can vary widely according to the type of media being delivered, the speed of the user's Internet connection, network conditions, content encoding, and the format used.
Typically, the media's server, client, and production and encoding tools developed by a streaming software vendor are collectively referred to as a format, Streaming media encoded in a particular format is provided by that format's media server and can be replayed using that format's client. Media clients are also often referred to as ‘players’, and typically exist as plug-ins to Web browsers. Example players include, but are not limited to, Windows Media®, Real Player®, Apple QuickTime® and Adobe Flash®.
Audio webcasts have been used for several years by companies to communicate with investors and security analysts. For example, on Oct. 23, 2000, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) adopted Regulation FD (Fair Disclosure) which provides that when an issuer, or person acting on its behalf, discloses material nonpublic information to certain enumerated persons (in general, securities market professionals and holders of the issuer's securities who may well trade on the basis of the information), it must make public disclosure of that information. Various companies have conformed to Regulation FD by disclosing material nonpublic information to the public using audio webcasts.
Turning now to FIG. 1, a typically audio webcast will be discussed. To begin, at step 10, a customer wishing to initiate a webcast contacts a call provider o schedule an event. At step 12, the call provider, who typically operates an event registration system for scheduling the event, enters the event information into the registration system. Then, at step 14, the call provider confirms the event information and sends the customer a provider Web site address, an event identifier, and a user name and password to use to initiate the conference call. At step 15, either the vendor and/or call provider transmits invitation messages to prospective end-users. The messages are typically included in an e-Mail and include the event identifier sent to the customer, as well as a link to a content distribution Web site. At step 16, the prospective end-users receive the notification. Lastly, at step 18, to access the event, an end-user selects the link included in the e-Mail (or enters a URL manually) to launch his or her browser's media player to listen to the event. To connect and listen to an event, the end-user typically requires a computer with a hardware sound card and Internet connection, an Internet browser (Internet Explorer or Netscape Navigator, or the like), streaming media player (e.g., Windows Media Player, RealPlayer or the like) and the Web site address of the event. At the Web site address of the event, the end-user may enter the event identifier, user name (if required) and password (if required) to access the event. Of course, one or more of the above-described steps can be carried out in a different manner. At any one point in time, several hundred individuals may participate in an audio webcast and multiple audio webcasts, as described in connection with FIG. 1, can occur simultaneously to disseminate material nonpublic information and other information.
Traditional webcast systems, however, have several deficiencies. For example, these systems typically operate on a single computer server, which represents a single point of failure and limits scalability, i.e., the number of users that can listen to the audio of the event. Moreover, the prior art systems require advanced setup for the content streams requiring a significant investment in both computer and telephony infrastructure equipment. Such systems and resources required include, without limitation, racks of telephony equipment, media encoders, storage, network connectivity, and the like. Moreover, this infrastructure is required to be maintained twenty four (24) hours, seven (7) days a week for three hundred and sixty five (365) days in readiness for service. Furthermore, the capacity of this infrastructure needs to exceed the highest possible peak of demand, even if average demand only utilizes a fraction of the equipment. As a consequence, prior art webcast systems require physical production facilities that have inherent cost and scaling issues.
These and other problems of prior art webcast systems are addressed by the present invention.